Lubricator for valve-stems.



s.'osEPH. LUBRICATOR FOR VALVE STEIVIS. APPLICATION FILED MAIZ.

Patented Apr. 23,1918.

Irfan., IIIII @VIII Nam INM

"y parativelly light and the valves are lifted,

. liablevto knock or t stick, v and' open effectively always ;engine. which may not have cup-shaped abutmentsor supports forthe valve springs which will hold oil. In this case a cylinder n of beror other suitable material is applied to ythe bottom of the lubricator, being sewn for example as at o to the binding thusforming a cup into which a little oil can be squirted occasionally from the spout of an oil can thrust between the coils of the valve spring. The sleeve g is thus kept always soaked-with oil.

Fig. 4 shows in 'elevation a short lubricator,- applicable to a valve having a short spring d. It shows how the sleeve g of absorbent material may be boundl to the coils of the spring at intervals by loops p. It also shows another form of binding g at the ends, occupying less space.

Fig. 5 shows in section a lubricator having its ends secured by' bent metal clasps. Fig. '6 is a plan view showing the metal clasp r at the top,

rongs or tongues which are bent over to orm a. binding around the`end coils of the sprm It, and are forced around into the material 'of .the sleeve g. Fig. 5 also shows 'the use f a separate metal cup s fitted at tlie bottom ofthe lubricator to hold oil.

`Figs. 7 and 8 are partial elevations of other types of lubricators, having in the .first example e single lace t and in the other example two s uch laces t coiled around the sleeve g of absorbent material betweenthe coilsof the spring it. This is intended to providean additional body or wick'of material to hold and carry the oil.

9 shows the lower end of a lubricator whi is made wide at the bottom, contracting to the diameter vto fit around the valve stem higher up. The wide lower end may be useful, where the valve spring is large enough to accommodate it, in holdin oil than al straight or cylin rical type of lubricating sleeve can do. This figure also shows the sleeve g as being made up of more than onelayer of material.

Fig. 10 shows the upper end of a lubricat or which has a leather binding u sewn on it. The ligure also shows in section the round laces t between the spring coils as in Fig. 8, V

Fig. -11 shows in elevation, and Fig. t2 in tends yto take place,

partly closed. It has.

p liable to be damaged by rather more sectional plan,

to form the outer layer m; its edges at thev ,bottom may be frayed out to form a fringe 1/ adapted to help in'soaking up oil from the spring abutment, cup or the like which maintains the supply.

These various types of lubricators have only been shown by way of example, and many other examples might be given. They All depend however on the same principle, that is to say the use of a springy support, and a sleeve or wick of absorbent material carried thereby for feeding the oil to the valve stem. The sleeve need not be a tight lit on the valve stem b, as the movements of the sleeve during the alternate compressions and expansions of the lubricator (as the valve lifts and falls) insure tta.' contact between the sleeve and the stem will be made at various points. The' compressions tend to squeeze a little oil' out of the sleeve, like the action -of squeezing a sponge, but in theensuing expansions the reverse action with the absorption of any excess of oil. Moreover, no more than a film of oil can be as the top part of the lubricator will wipe off any excess of oil.

1f the absorbent material employed is lamp cotton or the like, itmay be advisable to treat the same with alumor any equivalent preparation which will render it less heating; this is particularly useful in the case of air-cooled engmes such as are used on motor bicycles and aeroplanes,where overheating is more 'liable to occur. The absorbent material might also be formed of asbestos or other non-combustible substance, or it might be made of a mixture including might also be formed in many cases of felt or liannel and like absorbent substances when no over-heating is to be feared.

ubricators of the type described can be used on the stems of valves of engines no matter in what position the valves operate. If the valves areV in a horizontal or other position it may not be possible to use cups f' or s, or cylinders n to hold a sup ly of oil, but the sleeves of the lubricators t emselves carried up on the stem b some asbestos fibers. It

will always hold a supplyjof oil suilicient for a long period of working."

he 1nventionis not limited to the use of' lubricators made precisely as described, as the method of mounting the absorbent materia] on thenspringy support maybe varied aaeaeoi ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A 'lubricating device for valve stems, comprising a sleeve of absorbent material adapted to surround a valve stem, a helical l spring support therefor adapted to keep said a sorbent material normally extended in a longitudinal direction, and means for securin the ends of the sleeve to the ends of the he ical spring support.

2. A lubricating device for valve stems, comprising a sleeve offabsorbent material adapted to surround a valve stem, a helical spring support therefor, means for securing said sleeve to the helical spring support, and a receptacle forfoil at the lower end of the device surrounding said sleeve and helical spring support at that end.

3. The combination with a valve and its stem, a valve guide through which the stem` passes, a spring abutment on the st em, and a valve spring earlng between said abutment and said/ alve guide, of a sleeve of ab sorbent material adapted to lie around the said stem, a springy support adapted to lie around the sleeve, and means securing theA ends of the sleeve to the ends of the sgringy rises, whereby also said -sleeve is alternately,

contracted and stretched.

13h-The combination with a valve and its stem, a valve guide through Which'the stem passes, a spring abutment onthe stem, and a valve spring, of a lubricating device comprising a sleeve of absorbent material and a helical spring support therefor, means for securing the ends o said sleeve to the said spring support, and a cup surrounding the lower end of said spring support, said lubrieating device being of such dimensions as to lit around the valve stem insidel the valve springgland to press at its ends against the spring abutment and, the valve uide respectively, Whereby the sleeve of asorbent material is held so that it may be contracted and stretched alternately as the valve rises and falls.

'sinon Josera. 

